Groupon I.P.O. Said To Value Company At $15 Billion

nytimes.com:

Groupon, the social buying site that spurned a $6 billion offer from Google, is pushing ahead with plans for its initial public offering, a debut that could value the company at $15 billion or more.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[PathofTotality]

09:52 AM on 01/17/2011

Let's start with the fact that I can't see what they offer until I give them my e-mail address (the new currency I guess). It also says, "Don't worry, your e-mail is safe with us"

It's not what I thought. Some coupons are right there on the web site but it appears that the majority are e-mailed to you for your location. The ones I did see would have been of little use like spas, restuarants I can't afford, skydiving....

Of the two pages of "past deals" I saw a couple that would have been worth further review. I'm looking for say $.50 off a gallon of milk or 10% off your grocery bill at Krogers, eggs "buy one get one free" type coupons. This reminds me of those Entertainment Books you would buy for $25 and use maybe 1% of said coupons in the book.

I don't see this being valued at $15b but I am just one person with an opinion.

[tones]

06:47 AM on 01/16/2011

WTH so every decade we are gonna have a .com/tech bubble huh

[James Earwicker]

06:08 PM on 01/15/2011

I have a hard time seeing the value at nearly 3 times what Google was willing to pay. http://bit.ly/dYjzUs.

[vivo]

02:14 PM on 01/15/2011

Has Groupon been HACKED?

It's well known that Groupon squeezes local businesses to provide deeply discounted deals to bargain hunters. What's not so well known is how little money the local businesses actually get from Groupon. Typically only HALF of the Groupon ticket price goes to the local merchant and half goes to Groupon. When a Groupon ticket is priced under $10, the small local business gets $0 from the ticket price, Groupon takes it all. Why would a local business accept such a deal? Apparently, they succumb to Groupon's hard sell, pie in the sky sales tactics.

Fortunately, there may be a Hack that can save local merchants who have been “Grouponed”. Bargain hunters should avoid buying the deal from Groupon and instead wait for the deal to end. Next, print the main section of the deal page and take it to the merchant as you would any coupon. The merchant will most likely give you the deal anyway because you are paying the merchant TWICE as much as Groupon does for the same deal.
Approaching the merchant directly with your printed “coupon” helps your small local business stay afloat while cutting out a giant corporate middleman. To put it in the parlance of a corporate salesperson: “This is truly a win-win!”

[StephenJK]

07:30 AM on 01/15/2011

Groupon is about as innovative and useful as it's CEO's double chin.

[Chauncey Love]

10:22 PM on 01/14/2011

They should have a new slogan:

Groupon: lolwut

[mountainweb]

09:53 PM on 01/14/2011

Delusional! The people that buy this one, had better sell by the end of the day....

[atila]

02:35 PM on 01/14/2011

2000 once again! I can't believe it,we didn't learn nothing.

[psilocynic]

02:33 PM on 01/14/2011

Anyone who buys this stock deserves to lose their money.

[Jill Kennedy]

11:51 AM on 01/14/2011

I think Groupon is doomed. It's an online / mobile version of Valpak. Consumers will begin to realize they really don't need (and in most cases) want any of the crap that is being offered.

http://mankabros.com/onmedea/2011/01/the_trouble_with_groupon.html

[Valerio della Porta]

12:16 PM on 01/14/2011

Agree with the analysis. I don't think though they are necessarily doomed since Valpak is still around. I think they do have a not-so-exciting-business pushing crap.

Who's doomed are the ones that buy it at 15B valuation :-)

[Alien Nation]

11:37 AM on 01/14/2011

Tech Bubble 2.0 incoming!

[J0E1]

11:33 AM on 01/14/2011

Groupon?  15 billion?  What?

[cassie reinara]

11:06 AM on 01/14/2011

The Internet Bubble sequel continues. The investment banks foisting these deals on the public is an ongoing scam and most of these companies are not worth anywhere close to what Wall Street says they are. But, again, it's all about making money and as long as there are greater fools willing to buy into these companies, the offerings will continue. Ponzi refined to an art.

[LiVeEye]

10:12 AM on 01/14/2011

Yea it's a hot trend right now but how will it fair when the market picks up people are not into saving cupons as much. It's very idea in a economy like this but its hard to say what would happen in the future. This sounds like DR evil saying I want zillion dollars for the earth

[Anthony Garnett]

09:48 AM on 01/14/2011

I can already see the bubble forming with this stock the company makes money but to value it at $15 billion is beyond crazy talk